separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

OMG my babies won't sleep anymore. They scream when I put them down for naps and they scream when we put them down at night. They will also wake up during the night and scream.
I don't know what to do, I am at my wits end. They were doing well for MONTHS - I would put them down, and they'd be asleep with in minutes. Now they SCREAM for an hour or more, and it only stops if I take them out of the crib or nurse them to sleep - and I don't want to do either because I don't want to start these bad habits.
They are not teething at the moment - I know its not pain because they stop as soon as I open the door and go in their room. I have read about separation anxiety causing sleeping issues.
I don't know what to do. I am exhausted again like I was in the first few months of their lives.
How long does this last? Does anyone have advice?

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

have you considered doing CIO?

i know you said they can go an hour or more, that may just be because they've figured out that if they keep screaming you'll come get them.

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

I wish I could help. I can see one baby's actions effecting the other one's. I am not sure what to do!

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

Ronan has been doing this too. He is definitely my more "attached" baby. Declan only wants to be held and cuddled if he is sick or tired. Ronan would cuddle all day long if he could. What I do is-we have a song that I have been singing him since he was little. If he wakes up-I go in, pick him up get him injto position-facing me with his head on my left shoulder and go through 3 verses of the song.

Then I lay him down with his binky in his mouth and hand him another one to hold. He usually goes right down. If he does it again I follow the same process. Yes I do pick him up and yes I may hav eto dit more than once-but IMO its better than rocking or feeding to sleep...

Declan on the other hand I lay him down hand him a binky and stroke his head for about 2 seconds and he's fine.

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

My DD has started this too - she has started whimpering in the bath (which she usually LOVES), and crying during her story (where she used to relax in my arms), because she knows I'm getting ready to put her down. A few nights she has been hysterical after I leave the room . She was also screaming for me the minute she woke up in the morning which was getting earlier and earlier. I can never rule out teething altogether but I know this is a separation thing because she's also starting to cry when I leave her at daycare.

A few things I've tried have seemingly helped a bit: First, I try to make sure she is as tired as possible when I put her down. I don't mean keeping her up later or anything, just playing with her and wearing her out by bedtime.

I've also started using a small night light in her room and put several stuffed animals, a crib toy, and a little blanket in her crib with her so she's not "alone." She still puts up a bit of a fuss when she first goes down but she is better, and also much better when she wakes up.

HTH and I hope things get better soon!

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

DS went throught this and i think it pretty much stopped when i gave him a small teddy to hold while he was falling asleep. Also did CIO for a couple of nights.

Re: separation anxiety and sleeping issues - 9 months old

DD went through this EXACT same thing at 8.5-9 months, we did CIO a little and she's been fine thankfully since!!!! She doesn't stop to cry for DH just me....OYYYY